After signing from Birmingham City in the summer transfer window for a reported £15m fee, Che Adams’ arrival at Southampton looked like a smart move for the south coast club.
Not only had he been a prominent striker for the Blues in the Championship but, at the age of 23, he was viewed as a promising long term prospect.
Having scored 38 goals in 123 appearances across three seasons at St Andrew’s, the forward was named in the Championship Team of the Season for 2018/19.
Yet, after eight Premier League games of the 2019/20 campaign, Adams is yet to get off the mark in the English top-flight, and time could be running out to impress manager Ralph Hasenhüttl who is in his first full season at the club.
In the last two league games, Adams was sitting on the Saints’ bench during defeats to Tottenham and Chelsea, while Danny Ings started in both of these fixtures, scoring once in each game and hinting that he may be starting to come into prolific form.
The added competition that Adams’ arrival at St Mary’s was expected to provide is clearly benefiting the likes of Ings, who has risen to the task when afforded an opportunity in the starting XI.
However, in comparison, Adams has been unable to deliver the level of performance required to be successful in England’s top tier.
Given Southampton’s inconsistent start to the 2019/20 campaign – they have lost their last three matches – pressure will start to build on both the club and Adams if the threat of relegation looks like becoming a reality.
Given Ings’ proven Premier League track-record alongside Adams’ current inability to find the back of the net, Hasenhüttl may be cautious of giving his summer purchase too many more opportunities, especially if the club’s top-flight status is put under huge strain over the coming weeks and months.
